A Kerry journalist employed by Raidio na Gaeltachta will be sentenced next week for sexually assaulting a woman while she was sleeping in his bed.
Mícheál Ó Leidhin (38) of Sunnyside, Malahide Rd., Artane was convicted of sexual assault at his former home in south Dublin in the early hours of the morning of May 13, 2018.
Ó Leidhin, a native of Ballinskelligs, had denied the offence but his lawyers told a sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court today that he now accepts the verdict of the jury.
Garda Niall Freyne told Michael Delaney SC, prosecuting, that the complainant, who is legally entitled to anonymity, was out drinking in a Dublin pub with a female friend when they met the defendant who knew her friend.
She later went back to his flat where the incident occurred after she had fallen asleep.
Gda Freyne told the court Ó Leidhin has no other criminal convictions and has never come to garda attention before or since the incident.
He agreed with Bernard Condon SC, defending, that he was fully co-operative with the investigation and has a good working history as a journalist.
Mr Condon said that his client has been suspended from his position in Raidio na Gaeltachta and will have difficulties ever working in his chosen field again.
He handed in a number of references from long standing acquaintances who described the defendant as a supportive friend and described his shame and sorrow at the events of the night.
Mr Condon said his client is remorseful and that having put his understanding of what took place to the jury he accepts the jury verdict.
Reading from her own victim impact statement the woman said that while she wished to retain her anonymity, she did not want Ó Leidhin to remain anonymous
Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned sentencing to Monday next and remanded the defendant on continuing bail.
